BklynMarc

Here's the situation. Valet parked the car and when I picked it up, unbeknownst to me, the attendant had changed the headlight setting from automatic cutoff to on. Drove the car about ten miles and then parked it in a parking structure for three hours. Of course, I walked away and my lights were still on.

When I returned to the car three hours later, the lights were still on. Thought that I was in for problems starting the car, but it started right up. But there are problems -- the COMAND system is completely dead. I've tried turning it on and off and all I get is the AMG splash screen for about 30 seconds and then it cuts off again. No nav, no music, no illumination.

Is it possible that leaving your lights on causes the COMAND to short circuit? Is it possible that I've burned out a fuse that connects to the COMAND? If so, does anyone know where to check for blown fuses? Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated before I call the friendly neighborhood MB dealer.

Lady Wolf

This is why you NEVER let a valet touch your car. I had my first new car 10 days with Lady Wolf and some dumb A$$ valet put a big scratch in the car, Of course valet company said the scratch was their when I gave them the car Wolf cross posting yet again as Lady Wolf

MBenzNL

if the battery was nearly dead - the car will switch off some electronic consumers such as the audio gateway...if the comand only shows the start up screen and then switches off by itself again without doing anything else, it means that the AGW is switched off (or disconnected)...

It is not likely that the AGW is dead because the lights were left on...

greetingz,

BklynMarc

Thanks, MBenzNL. Could you tell me how to reset the AGW?

benzmodz

A full battery charge will enable all luxury features on the car. Perhaps a long drive might help.

I dont understand why the car's beeping and complaints went unheard. My car beeps the moment I try to open the door with the lights on and the engine off.

BklynMarc

I've driven the car about 30 miles since leaving the lights on, to no avail. I don't know if driving any extended period will have any greater effect.

As for the warnings, they are rather meager given the setup of my car. This is something that's been discussed on the board before. With keyless go, you get warnings every time you turn the car off not to leave your keys in the car. This warning seems to preempt most (if not all) of the other warnings. In fact, the only other warning that seems to trump the "do not leave your keys" warning is when the sunroof has been left open. Believe me, I've learned a lesson with this one.

DRCrowder

Dead-on !

benzmodz

Sounds like a classic case of "pilot syndrome" - there are so many flashing lights and warnings on the screen that the plane runs out of fuel. (its a very long story but it relates to the loss of several planes in Vietnam that simply ran out of fuel due to the overload of information.)

Vetluver

I have emailed this problem to MB when I first got my car and told my dealer about this electronic nanny problem. Maybe if we all email MB with a deluge of the same complaint maybe it will be fixed when the W212 arrives.

The car lights should have an automatic turn off and if not it should beep differently more than once to warn you that they have been left on.

I don't think Germans are very good with simple things. Maybe they need to let Chrysler do there computers and electronics.

BklynMarc

Well, just got off the phone with BH MB and looks like they'll have the car overnight. Apparently, they will need to replace the amplifier audio gateway, which was damaged somehow when the lights were left on. Has anyone heard of this happening before?

gmdebruyn

yea, i've heard of it. just like i heard of when you leave the parking brake on and it's a full moon, you can't drive in reverse for a week.

very strange problem, i'd ask them what the root cause was. power spike, and a weak factory audio gateway?

BklynMarc

Well. I got the car back yesterday. No explanation. Car runs perfectly. No charge by MB.

brt3

You may want to have them check your flux capacitor as well...